How do we form the best relationships; bring our best to them; build environments that nurture them; and measure our success?
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Becky McCray
Becky McCray is a small town entrepreneur with boatload of experience online and off. Becky has worked as an antiques dealer, city administrator, nonprofit executive and newspaper reporter. Listen to her talk small business, and you’ll know she brought something to and took some from every career step and life step she’s made.
Currently, Becky is the co-owner of a small town retail liquor store and small cattle ranch. As a consultant, she helps small businesses to maintain their web presence and helps city governments with project management and grant writing.
Today Becky’s focus is
Successful Entrepreneurship
- Redefining failure and learning from mistakes.
- Positioning yourself as an expert.
- Learning to brag on your successes.
Ask me anything about going into business. Small towns – they’re where it’s at!
Follow @BeckyMcCray at Twitter.
Hey Becky!
So I like your weekly “Brag Basket” – do you think that would work in other contexts?
My best small business articles have all come from questions someone has asked me! So, jump right in with any question about small biz.
How do you do it all?
Hiya, Paul. I’m really looking forward to meeting you at SOBCon!
I think Brag Basket is very adaptable, especially when you change the title. It’s mostly opening your comment box to allow people to share something positive. Call it whatever fits your tone and audience!
hi Paul! Hi Becky!
and I’m curious. One of the things that has been a problem for small businesses has been the big box stores. With the economic slump affecting the big places, is that going to help the smaller businesses? And how could it?
Liz, how do I do it all? I constantly work to improve my organization.
i should phrase that better: how can they/you take advantage of the gap in the markets?
Jon, that’s a great topic. My husband and I were discussing this last night. His contention is that the well funded small businesses have the best chance to make something of this opportunity.
It’s also a great time to share your good news with your customers. They’re tired of hearing the bad news, too.
I need to mark this idea to come back to later!
One other way small businesses could benefit from the hit the big box stores are taking is talent. Many well qualified employees are looking for work, and you could really pick up some terrific new stars.
particularly when those small businesses can take advantage of the low overhead, hyperlocal capacity of the social technologies.
Jon, you know I’m big fan of using new tools to build small businesses! It’s easier than ever to speak with your individual customers in the way they prefer, and help them solve their problems.
Hi Becky,
You wear at least two hats – one as an expert resource and the other as a business owner. Are you able to use a website, blogging, and social media to promote your rural businesses to your local customers? And if so, how?
Skipping back to Liz’s question of how you do it all, here are some of the tools I use for organizing it:
Gmail Tasks – I keep my list of the six most important things to do in there.
Joe’s Goals – I keep my major “theme” goals in there. It’s like reminding me that I want to work in exercise each day.
Paper – I use a paper notebook to keep those daily goals in front of me (when I’m not working on computer)
Stacking – I try to monitor which tasks can be worked on together. I can write while sitting at my store. I can think while fixing fence.
So tell us about positioning yourself as an expert…
What amount of learning in an area do you feel is necessary before becoming an expert – particularly in a relatively new field like social media, where everyone is learning at the same time?
Great question, Paul.
Mm, yeah, the very word “expert” is a bit fraught these days…
Becky, Joe’s Goals?
Paul, blogging is a way to learn a topic at the same time that you start building a reputation.
The label of “expert” is more of a problem. It gets abused, and it has a bad reputation.
Back in 2006, I wrote about this:
*You need no one’s permission to start.
*You can choose any topic you are passionate about.
You can read that ancient post at How to position yourself as an expert.
Glenda, Joe’s Goals http://www.joesgoals.com/ is a very simple site where you can set a few goals you want to achieve every day. That might be “Write for my blog” or “Daily bookkeeping” or “Make 5 sales calls”. Each time you complete a goal, you get to put a little checkmark in its box on the site. It feels good, and gives you visual feedback on how you’re doing on your goals.
Here’s another bit I wrote about positioning yourself as an expert. Note that I don’t say to call yourself an expert!
“This works because while you are writing your stuff, you are making yourself into an expert. You are improving your knowledge and understanding as you research for articles, read related materials, and keep up with industry thinking. Blogging to position yourself as an expert can become a self-fulfilling prophecy.”
ahh, thanks Becky. I have a complex-looking spreadsheet for goals/to-do lists.
True, we all know a little bit about something – and learn more while we’re figuring out how to explain to others.
Glenda, Joe’s Goals works best for those simple “Yes I did it” check offs. 🙂 My four right now are to make and work my Six Most Important Things List, to Read an actual paper book, to Edit/Write on my ebooks etc., and Exercise.
Thanks, Becky – some good tips.
Rebecca, I didn’t recognize you with your Twitter avatar! Howdy!
You’re absolutely right that in thinking things through to explain or to teach them, we gain new insight.
Funny how rewarding crossing things off is. A sense of accomplishment!
Thank you, Paul. I really hope we get time to sit down to share stories when we meet!
you know, you were doing fine with this list that sounded good and noble and abstract until I realized that the specificity and simplicity of your goals are why you are an expert. Each time you do those things, you are moving ahead in knowing how to do those things. And because those goals are practical steps toward improving your knowledge and expression of that knowledge, it will leave you another mile ahead every month.
good work. convicting work.
Jon, I thought a long time about those four daily goals I’m working. I’m not doing great at hitting them consistently, but I’m improving.
And, this is another key, I’m still in the process of thinking of what other goals belong there.
Becky, I’ve been off reading your blog – it’s wonderful stuff! A lot of your thoughts on small-town and small-biz development seem to apply well to nonprofits, too – certainly to the grassroots groups that keep rural communities (I live in one) rolling. Your thoughts?
And I’d like to imagine that I’ll move ahead a mile each month! 😀
Rebecca, (or do you prefer to be called RJ?) thank you! Small town business people are always volunteering in their local nonprofits. In fact, I’ve worked as a nonprofit staff member myself. Of course, we have a ton of things in common between small businesses and nonprofits. We’re all working on the same management, people, financial, and regulatory issues. We face the same problems of finding qualified people. and on and on…
Hi Becky,
You wear at least two hats – one as an expert resource and the other as a business owner. Are you able to use a website, blogging, and social media to promote your rural businesses to your local customers? And if so, how?
Another connection with nonprofits and small town businesses: our small communities need us both. We have to work together on the critical problems small towns face. We can’t solve our workforce shortages without cooperation of business, education, and government agencies. Our local economy won’t grow robustly by accident; we have to cooperate to make it happen.
Hi, Karen. Believe it or not, I really do use a website and a blog to promote my local store. It actually works! And I’m seeing so many local people on Facebook and even starting to see some on Twitter, that I see those tools picking up importance for local businesses.
You be Becky, I’ll be Rebecca 🙂
I’m thinking there’s a lot of need for help in any organization on a tight budget that’s got specific chores to be done – email & print newsletters, conferences, marketing, etc. Where do you advise small businesses to look for help? (Besides you as consultant, naturally!)
And I’ll be Liz!
I could use some help like that. 🙂
Rebecca, I think there are many chances to build cooperative projects with education, student groups, interns, etc.
Two opportunities for nonprofits come to mind. My local Career Tech has an intern program that places students in nonprofits for meaningful work at no cost. The local Title V (I think I remember that right) program also places older workers in various nonprofits. They can be a wealth of talent!
Small business also have many opportunities to delegate tasks without hiring: http://www.smallbizsurvival.com/2006/03/10-ways-to-delegate-without-hiring.html
Liz, that works as along as we’re not in GChat, where I’m “me” and you’re “ME”. That’s still funny! 😀
Thanks for the link – bookmarked!
Getting off small nonprofits and back to small business… are you seeing an advantage in being small right now? Is it a strength in a down economy – or does it depend on the sector? My gut suggests that freelancers are doing okay, but retail hasn’t got much room to move…
Many small business folks don’t realize how much help is available to them through local service providers. Have you checked with your economic development groups (local, chamber, regional, state), your utility cooperatives, your educational institutions, and your business incubators? Lots and lots of help out there! Don’t try to go it alone!
Gee, sorry – just noticed I’m keeping you overtime here!
Rebecca, I think being small is an advantage when you can also be diversified. And it is strongly influenced by local economy.
Oh! You’re right! Time to head for, I think it’s Shannon Paul next!